When you are peeing your own pants, you are well aware of what you are doing but nobody else cares. Unless the Provincial and Federal politicians are into fishing, I am sure that they could care less what is going on with our fisheries. I guess the ongoing challenge is going to be how do we go about enlightening them?
Emergency SFAB Meetings About Proposed SRKW Fishing Closures
- Thread starter Whole in the Water
- Start date
searun
Well-Known Member
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
Well, after watching TV tonight, I would say the Greens own the field.
Not going to be good.
Not going to be good.
ILHG
Crew Member
ILHG
Crew Member
Take a look at the words of the Minister regarding the closing of the central coast commercial herring fishery.
Conservation & reconciliation are equal weight in his decisions..... Truth is throwing in conservation into a political "reconciliation" decision, helps the medicine go down with with the general population.
I don't want to be a doomsday person but the writing is on the wall everywhere.
All we need to do is get through the next 18 months so we can throw this government over board.
Conservation & reconciliation are equal weight in his decisions..... Truth is throwing in conservation into a political "reconciliation" decision, helps the medicine go down with with the general population.
I don't want to be a doomsday person but the writing is on the wall everywhere.
All we need to do is get through the next 18 months so we can throw this government over board.
Guaranteed we can wait 18 months and hope for a new government but history tells us that nothing is going to change. I think that the only way that we can get the attention and enlighten the Feds is by launching a massive class action suit against the DFO. We have huge numbers on our side, we just have to start the ball rolling and the SFBC forum would be a good place to start this ball rolling. There are a lot of excellent law firms out there that would love to take on this case. Even if we are not successful just think of the media attention a law suit of this magnitude would get? It is time to stand up and be counted.
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screaminreels
Active Member
After hearing this announcement today my heart sank to an all new low for the whales and our salmon stocks. Imagine what that money could have done if used properly for high impact for both species.
BCTony
Active Member
I think we as anglers individually and through the various representative bodies should try to liaise and where possible join forces with our counterparts south of the border in Washington State. They are facing the same issues as we are and of course many of them visit Canada waters to fish.
fishbadger
Active Member
Wow I think I just posted that exact same sentiment in a different thread in this forum BCTony. . .we must be right!
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Save the whales? Not this year, as far as the Legislature is concerned — although Inslee quickly issued an executive order this week. Here’s the story: Legislation by Sen. Ranker of Orcas Island sought to create the Orca Protection Act. It would have beefed up enforcement against harassment of killer whales, making it illegal to fly aircraft or a drone within 200 yards of orcas, for example. It called for looking into what to do about the impacts from the noise of boat motors, which confuse orcas’ crucial echolocation skills, among other effects. The bill (SB 5886) died — but Inslee on Wednesday signed an executive order to create an orca recovery task force and call for immediate action by various state agencies before concrete deadlines.
Examples: By April 30, state recreational and commercial fishing regulations must be reviewed and changed, as needed, to prioritize protecting key areas and fish runs for southern resident orcas, the ones that frequent Puget Sound but are starving due to a lack of the only food they eat — Chinook salmon. April 30 also is the deadline to come up with a proposal to alter fish food in fish hatcheries to limit the amount of dangerous chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, found in orcas’ prey; the toxic chemicals contribute to the orcas’ decline.
The governor also called for a plan to enforce Chinook fisheries regulations in areas frequented by orcas, as well as a plan to enforce vessel regulations, both due April 30. By May 31, the Washington State Department of Transportation must come up with strategies for quieting state ferries in areas most important to resident killer whales.
“This is a critical challenge of our time and we have some tough choices ahead on our watch,” said Chris Wilke, executive director of the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, who applauded Inslee’s move, though he recognized that it’s largely another study with some funding thrown in to better track orcas.
https://crosscut.com/2018/03/environmental-wins-and-losses-olympia-year
the bill SB 5886, was not passed but it does show how serious this issue is being taken!!!!!
(3) It is the intent of the legislature to completely phase out and
eventually prohibit all whale watching activities in state marine waters
by January 1, 2020."
On page 2, after line 40, insert:
(5) All whale watching activities in state marine waters conducted for
tourism related purposes shall be prohibited as of January 1, 2020. The
department of fish and wildlife must adopt rules in accordance with this
section and shall strictly enforce this provision. This provision
applies to commercial, recreational, and tribal watercraft whether
motorized or un-motorized.
EFFECT: States intent to phase out whale watching in Washington
state. Adds provisions prohibiting whale watching activities after
January 1, 2020.
Examples: By April 30, state recreational and commercial fishing regulations must be reviewed and changed, as needed, to prioritize protecting key areas and fish runs for southern resident orcas, the ones that frequent Puget Sound but are starving due to a lack of the only food they eat — Chinook salmon. April 30 also is the deadline to come up with a proposal to alter fish food in fish hatcheries to limit the amount of dangerous chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, found in orcas’ prey; the toxic chemicals contribute to the orcas’ decline.
The governor also called for a plan to enforce Chinook fisheries regulations in areas frequented by orcas, as well as a plan to enforce vessel regulations, both due April 30. By May 31, the Washington State Department of Transportation must come up with strategies for quieting state ferries in areas most important to resident killer whales.
“This is a critical challenge of our time and we have some tough choices ahead on our watch,” said Chris Wilke, executive director of the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, who applauded Inslee’s move, though he recognized that it’s largely another study with some funding thrown in to better track orcas.
https://crosscut.com/2018/03/environmental-wins-and-losses-olympia-year
the bill SB 5886, was not passed but it does show how serious this issue is being taken!!!!!
(3) It is the intent of the legislature to completely phase out and
eventually prohibit all whale watching activities in state marine waters
by January 1, 2020."
On page 2, after line 40, insert:
(5) All whale watching activities in state marine waters conducted for
tourism related purposes shall be prohibited as of January 1, 2020. The
department of fish and wildlife must adopt rules in accordance with this
section and shall strictly enforce this provision. This provision
applies to commercial, recreational, and tribal watercraft whether
motorized or un-motorized.
EFFECT: States intent to phase out whale watching in Washington
state. Adds provisions prohibiting whale watching activities after
January 1, 2020.
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wildmanyeah
Crew Member
"Just what they are eating in winter is under active study, with results not yet published, Ford said."
We should probably figure that out, Looking forward to those results
In the mid seventies I was responsible for initiating a class action suit against one of the major chartered banks. I accidentally discovered how they were defrauding many of their mortgage holders at that time and the class action suit was successful. I mention this because I know that the class action process can work and I think that we would have a slam dunk case against the DFO. Plus it would be a lot of fun.
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Well if they are found in JDF and on the inside and all they will eat is salmon, then it will be small young blueback Coho (most hatchery) and generally smaller (there is the rare teener and low 20's - often clipped) feeder Chinook the majority of which will be US Hatchery Chinook and some will be Canadian Hatchery Chinook mostly funded and raised by volunteer sport fishermen. It is a good thing sport fishermen have been allowed access to fish on the inside and in JDF in the summer because without that opportunity what is the incentive for the sport sector to produce these fish, without which the pod of most concern (I think its J pod) may well already be extinct - assuming of course they stick around on the inside and JDF and don't move to the outside for the winter. Although even on the outside of VI there will be sport sector produced Chinook in the winter for the whales to eat.
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Gear'n'beer!
Well-Known Member
Well perhaps you should start initiating this class action lawsuit. You obviously have the knowledge in the system and would garner enjoyment from the process. Let us collectively know where/when/how to participate and it will be a slam dunk!
searun
Well-Known Member
Lets be careful not to widely claim success of the net pen project just yet. For starters it was only 200,000 smolts in 2016. Hardly what we could legitimately claim as food for whales. It was more of a "proof of concept" that year. Its a great concept for sure, but not the salvation of whales just yet. The other thing to bear in mind with net penned fish is they will run north to over-winter (Nitnat fish go up to Alaska to over-winter), and provide food for whales only when they return as adults, so highly unlikely they will contribute food during the winter months.
Net pens do provide a cool option, especially if we can also start some around the Fraser using Harrison or upper Fraser stocks. Expanding their use might help with improving ocean survival. Some of the net pen held Chinook (Conuma and now Stamp/Robertson) are showing some promise. Probably because the fish are held long enough that the seals move off thinking the out-migration of dinner size smolts is gone.
Other good thing about starting additional net pen projects near the Fraser is it promotes a longer migration run which will expose them to SRKW across their entire range.
Net pens do provide a cool option, especially if we can also start some around the Fraser using Harrison or upper Fraser stocks. Expanding their use might help with improving ocean survival. Some of the net pen held Chinook (Conuma and now Stamp/Robertson) are showing some promise. Probably because the fish are held long enough that the seals move off thinking the out-migration of dinner size smolts is gone.
Other good thing about starting additional net pen projects near the Fraser is it promotes a longer migration run which will expose them to SRKW across their entire range.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Haven’t the guides in Vancouver been running a net pen project using Harrison stock out Vancouver Harbor. This is been going on for years is their no data on the returns or the successes of it?
I was not referring to the new Sport Sector Net Pen Projects which will produce even more Chinook for anglers and whales such as the Sooke Net Pen Project. I was referring to the regular sport sector supported volunteer hatcheries that have been producing Coho and Chinook for many many years such as Jack Brooks Hatchery and there are many other sport sector supported salmon enhancement efforts. Not to mention stream keepers and those volunteers working on habitat restoration, from removing shopping carts and old tires from salmon creeks to establishing spawning gravel beds and channels and water flow projects. Even the recolonization of the Sooke river with the establishment of a run of Chinook with similar genetic characteristics as the now extinct original Sooke River Chinook run was as I recall a sport sector and community supported project as was the very small dam put in to keep one of our local creeks from drying up in the hot summers and killing the salmon smolts. Unfortunately DFO took it out because of concern that at some point it could breach and flood some rural land a little and they did not want to spend any money to monitor or repair it.
There are many small and large sport sector projects and hatcheries and there are Coho and Chinook Salmon in JDF that would not other wise be there were it not for the Sport sectors fundraising and volunteer efforts over decades. I am fearful that the ability and willingness of the sport sector to fund raise and conduct salmon enhancement and habitat restoration projects is going to decrease with our continuing loss of fishing access. Already we have lost one of our major annual fund raising events this year. Who is going to pick up the slack? The tax payers, the NGO's - my impression is they spend their money and efforts on fundraising, public relations, lobbying and salaries - not extensive hands on dirty cold work putting more salmon in the ocean.
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Coded wire tagging of the West Van and Capilano River releases started in 2013, so early results are just starting to come in. Make sure to turn in any clipped Chinook heads that you catch, this info is critical in managing hatchery release strategies.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Thanks for letting us know I know of clipped chinook guys were catching in Howe sound and they just assumed they were Columbia fish I hope they turned in their heads.
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